The Morning After
by martiansarepeopletoo
Summary: 'Every time I look at a different spot on his flawless skin, I am reminded of a moment last night when I was looking at it too. But last night it was dark, and what I couldn't see I had to feel.' Peeta and Katniss after that 'Real or Not Real' scene. PxK


Short story about the morning after the 'real or not real' scene at the end of Mockingjay. Because I'm a hopeless romantic, and I am quite a bit in love with Peeta. I don't own HG and all that, or he and Katniss would have been together a lot quicker, and there would have been none of that hijacking business either.

x x x

As I open my eyes, the first thing I see is blinding sunlight streaming in through the open window. The sky is a perfect, perfect blue, and as I look at it I feel a happiness settle over me I have never felt before. I am just shutting my eyes when I realise what the colour of the sky reminds me of.

I smile and turn onto my side. Of course those crystal blue eyes are trained on me from the moment I look at them.

'Good morning, Katniss.'

His blonde hair is tousled on his forehead, and his lips are arranged in the smile that has never changed, no matter what we've been through. I drink in every aspect of his appearance, because I've never seen him in this way before and it is _beautiful._ Every time I look at a different spot on his flawless skin, I am reminded of a moment last night when I was looking at it too. But last night it was dark, and what I couldn't see I had to feel. I retrace the skin that last night my hands had explored tentatively for the first time, and sigh at his beauty.

'Good morning, Peeta.'

Our eyes meet and we just gaze at each other, lost in the memories of what passed last night. The moment is charged with some kind of electricity, and it scares me. I'm not used to such intensity. So I sit up suddenly, and just as suddenly yank the duvet back up around me. I forgot I'm not actually wearing anything.

Peeta laughs gently, then sits up and puts his arms around me.

'I did kind of see a bit more than that a few hours ago, you know.'

We both blush at this acknowledgement of what happened last night, and there's a slight awkwardness in the air. I put my head on his shoulder in an attempt to break the tension a little. He sighs, and rests his head on mine. We sit like that for what could be hours, and then he speaks.

'Did you - did you mean what you said last night?'

I know what he's talking about, of course I do, but I pretend I've not got any idea what he's on about.

'What did I say?'

He hesitates, but then plunges into the sentence.

'You said you loved me.'

I remember the moment with astonishing clarity. The room had been so dark, but I'd still been able to see his bright blue eyes as he whispered,

'You love me. Real or not real?'

My answer hadn't even needed thinking about. But as I look at him now, everything seems so real and I am so, so frightened by it. Life itself has been impossible to build back up, but he has done it anyway. Defied my definition of impossible. And I've always thought the idea of me being able to love as impossible. But looking at him now, I know he has defied me again. Of course I love him. My dandelion in the spring, my boy with the bread. I would die without him.

'I – I meant it.'

His eyes bore into mine, but this time I don't look away. Instead, I lean forward and kiss him, pouring everything I feel into the contact. It's electric, unlike any kiss we've shared before, because this time we are both certain of the other's feelings. Even last night, it appears he must have had some small doubts about how I felt, or he wouldn't have asked me. I know he's loved me for as long as he can remember, but it surprises me when I realise just how long I've been fighting the feelings I get when I look at him.

We eventually break apart, out of an unavoidable requirement for air, and I _need_ to tell him.

'I love you,' I gasp. 'I love you.'

I've never said those words before to anyone besides my sister, mother and father. And I mean them now in a whole new way.

'I need you. I love you. Peeta, I love you.'

I can't get tired of saying the same words over and over again, and he smiles as he strokes my face.

'I love you too, Katniss. You know I do.'

He kisses me again, and the hunger I felt last night rages up inside me. But I don't want this moment to be over, not yet, so I kiss him back and as I do a tear slides down my face. He is so perfect, and he wants _me_. Mine forever. And as he gently lies me back down in the sheets, I know that for the first time, I am absolutely content to completely belong to someone else. Because Peeta has my heart now, and I am never going to let him give it back.

Never.

x x x

I hope you liked it :) Thank you so much for reading, please review! Love you all,

Iliketotastetherainbow x


End file.
